Detergent

ABSTRACT

CNH2N+1SO3NA METHOD FOR CLEANING CARGO TANKS OF SEA TANKERS FROM THE REMAINS OF OIL PRODUCTS, FATS AND THE LIKE CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF 65-75 WT. PERCENT OF AN ALKYLSULFONATE HAVING THE GENERAL FORMULA   WHEREIN N=6-7. THE DETERGENT IS PREFERABLY USED AS A 0.05-0.2% SOLUTION IN SEA WATER AT A TEMPERATURE OF 6080* C.   1,3-DI((CH3)3-C-),4-(H-(O-CH2-CH2)N-O-)BENZENE   WHEREIN N=10-14, AND 3-7, WT. PERCENT OF A POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL ETHER OF DI-TERT-BUTYLPHENOL HAVING THE GENERAL FORMULA   1-(CNH(2N+1)-),4-(NA-O3S-)BENZENE   WHEREIN N=12-18, 20-30 WT. PERCENT OF AN ALKYLBENZENESULFONATE HAVING THE GENERAL FORMULA

United States Patent 3,686,099 DETERGENT Nina Andreevna Gerchenova, Butyrsky val 60, Apt. 4; Lev Moiseevich Gurvich, Sadovaya 1/7, korpus B, Apt. 2; and Olga Ivanovna Zelenskaya, Frunze St., Apt. 1, all of Moscow, U.S.S.R.; Alexandr Filippovich Koretsky, Akademicheskaya St. 52, Apt. 1, Novosibirsk, U.S.S.R.; and Petr Alexeevich Machulsky, Naberezhnaya M. Gorkogo 40/20, Apt. 202; Maria Petrovna Nesterova, Volokolamskoe chaussee 14, Apt. 116; Evdokia Prokofievna Selifanova, Pervomaiskaya 71, korpus 1, Apt. 45; Arkady Borisovich Taubman, Leninsky prospect 78, Apt. 68; and Ekaterina Vasilievna Furaeva, B. sDorogomilovskaya St. 27a, Apt. 10, all of Moscow, U. .S.R. No Drawing. Filed Feb. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 707,963 Int. Cl. Clld N12 US. Cl. 252-554 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Method for cleaning cargo tanks of sea tankers from the remains of oil products, fats and the like consisting essentially of 65-75 wt. percent of an alkylsulfonate having the general formula C H SO Na wherein n=12-18, -30 wt. percent of an alkylbenzenesulfonate having the general formula |n 2n+l S 0 Na wherein n=10-14, and 3-7, wt. percent of a polyethylene glycol ether of di-tert-butylphenol having the general formula XC ah wherein n=6-7. The detergent is preferably used as a 0.05-0.2% solution in sea water at a temperature of 60- 80 C.

This is a continuation-in-part application of Ser. No. 462,445, filed June 8, 1965 now abandoned.

This invention relates to a detergent composition intended for cleaning tankers from the remains of petroleum products or fats.

Known in the art are diverse detergent compositions, each consisting of a mixture of various active components.

Prosch (German Pat. No. 1,166,960) contemplates the employment of solutions comprised of ethylene oxidenonylphenol condensate and alkylsulfonates containing from to 40%, (preferably from to of active component, provision being made for incorporating into the formulation an alkylarylsulfonate having 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl group.

Similar to the majority of inventions in this field, the Prosch patent claims an all-purpose detergent formulation noted primarily for its high detergency, emulsification and also for copious foaming.

The aforementioned detergent compositions are unsuitable for the mechanized chemical cleaning of tankers wherein closed-cycle cleaning operations involve repeated and continuous use of a detergent solution batch, and the specific requirements of the process necessitate strict observance of a pre-set stability of highly concentrated petroleum-in-detergent solution emulsions and stipulates that, upon emulsion breakdown, the recovered petroleum product be sparingly watered and the detergent solution noted for its suppressed resorptive properties be suitable for subsequent use.

It is further pertinent that the foaming power of the detergent composition be at a minimum in order to obtain the estimated performance of emulsion pumps and also to obviate the secondary contamination of the reservoirs being cleaned as a result of petroleum-containing foam breakdown.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a detergent composition that meets the specific requirements imposed by the mechanized chemical cleaning of tankers from the remains of petroleum products and fat and makes use of sea water as solvent.

This object is accomplished, according to the invention, by appropriate selection and rigorous proportioning of surfactants which are synergists with respect to detergency and antagonists with respect to foaming and stabilizing eifect when used in sea water.

The present detergent composition comprises 65-75 wt. percent of an alkylsulfonate having the general formula C H SO Na, wherein n=l2-18; 20-30 wt. percent of an alkylbenzenesulfonate having the general formula ice wherein n: 10-14 and 3-7 wt. percent of a polyethylene glycol ether of di-tert-butylphenol having the general formula wherein n=6-7 and finds application in the form of a solution in sea water.

To obtain superior results in tanker cleaning operations, the detergent composition should preferably contain the following proportions of the components, wt. percent:

Alkylsulfonate approx. 70 AlkylbenZenesulfonate approx. 25

Polyethylene glycol ether of di-tert butylphenol approx. 5

The detergent solution is prepared by dissolving 0.05- (12 wt. percent of the present detergent composition in sea water heated to a temperature of 60-80 C.

The present invention makes it possible to obtain a detergent composition which is noted for its high detergency and simultaneously exhibits a complex of characteristics that fully meet the specific requirements involved in cleaning tankers from the remains of petroleum products or fat.

When used in conjunction with mechanized systems of tanker cleaning from the remains of petroleum products or whale oil, the present detergent composition displays outstanding technical and economic efficiency.

The process of tanker cleaning involves the formation of a highly concentrated petroleum product or whale oilin-detergent solution emulsion which undergoes spontaneous, fairly rapid breakdown to yield a dewatered petroleum product or whale oil and the clarified detergent solution separated by a sharp interface. The clarified detergent solution is repeatedly used in the closed-cycle system for subsequent cleaning operations, whereby the discharge of the solution in question into the sea or rivers is avoided and the pollution of water basins is avoided.

As a result of subsequent cleaning all or some tanks of the tanker, the thus removed petroleum product or whale oil collects in a settling tank and may be recovered for subsequent utilization.

Cleaning a tanker of 10,000-ton cargo capacity results in collecting 80-100 tons of petroleum products or 25-30 tons of whale oil which are usually lost with the detergent solution discarded into the sea.

Efiicient spontaneous breakdown of the emulsion to form a petroleum product layer and a clarified detergent solution layer is conducive to performing tanker cleaning operations by the closed-cycle, single stage technique, so that one tank only is employed for both detergent solution preparation and recovered product collection. An added advantage is that cleaning operations entail no additional expenses for reconstruction of available equipment.

When recourse is had to the present detergent composition, the content of water in bottom settlings of the recovered petroleum product is reduced from 60-80% down to 0.5-6%.

The present detergent composition renders it possible to carry out tanker cleaning operations even during ballast passengers in the areas where sea pollution with petroleum products is prohibited by the International Convention on Sea Pollution, inclusive. It can likewise be used for preparing tankers for taking in another cargo, e.g., bulk raw sugar or grain, without resorting to additional tank cleaning. After cleaning the tanker with the present detergent composition, it is feasible to carry out repairs involving the use of open flame.

To elfect the complete cleaning of a tanker having a cargo capacity of 10,000 tons, the consumption of the present detergent composition should be 200 to 400 kg.

The present detergent composition is noted for its storage stability and requires no special packaging.

EXAMPLE Seventy grams of an alkylsulfonate having from 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl radical and containing about 85% of the active component represented by the general formula C H SO Na, wherein 11=12-18, is mixed with 25 grams of an alkylbenzenesulfonate having from 10 to 14 carbon atoms in the alkyl radical and represented by the general formula s oaNfl wherein 11:10-14, and 5 grams of a polyethylene glycol ether of di-tert-butylphenol containing from 6 to 7 ethylene oxide groups and having the general formula (cum-0G0 (CH1CH20)nH l zh wherein 11:12-18, about 25 wt. percent of an alkylbenzenesulfonate having the general formula wherein 11:10-14, and about 5 wt. percent of an polyethylene glycol ether of di-tert-butylphenol having the general formula 111130 O(CH2Cz0) H,

wherein n=6-7 as a ODS-0.2% solution in sea water,

thereby forming a quick-breaking emulsion, separating the detergent solution from the emulsion, and using same for subsequent cleaning operations.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,782,240 2/1957 Hefner et al. 260-613 3,317,612 5/1967 Nunn et al. 260613 FOREIGN PATENTS 511,415 3/1955 Canada 252-89 795,814 5/ 1958 Great Britain 256-109 590,712 1/1960 Canada 252-161 1,060,538 7/1959 Germany 252-161 1,166,960 4/1964 Germany 252,161

LEON D. ROSDOL, Primary Examiner P. E. WILLIS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 252558, 559 

